Transform Your Winter Pumpkins into Something Special

Sprawling carpets of leaves and runners and shiny green and yellow pumpkins ripe and ready for picking can be seen in vegetable gardens all over the Barossa, with our Saturday morning farmers market brimming with pumpkins in all shapes, sizes and colours.

Whether you grow Japanese pumpkins, are partial to a Butternut, or prefer to stick with the tried and tested Queensland Blue, pumpkins are versatile in the kitchen and are a satisfying alternative for vegans, vegetarians, or anyone looking to cut down their red meat intake.

So, be your own fairy godmother this winter and transform your pumpkins into something truly special, with these mouth-watering pumpkin recipes, with wines to match.

When you think of pumpkins, the first thing that comes to mind is a delicious, creamy bowl of pumpkin soup – comfort food in a bowl.

Perfect for warm nights in, or a simple lunch at work, a bowl of traditional pumpkin soup – just like Mum used to make – with a side of toasted white bread and butter is like a big warm hug.

The trick is finding the right recipe. Something that will fulfil your nostalgic taste buds with the right balance of sweet vegetables and luscious cream.

We love this simple roasted pumpkin soup recipe from Donna Hay . With the perfect mix of cream, sweet pumpkin and a touch of honey, this recipe is as traditional as it gets, and you won't be disappointed.

Pumpkin soup and wine? Why not! Our Hand Picked Shiraz Viognier has a spicy yet soft palate with velvety tannins which makes it an ideal offset for the pumpkin's creamy richness and perfect for light meals like soup.

For a Barossa twist on roast pumpkin salad try roasting your pumpkin in verjuice a la Maggie Beer to give it an extra sweet, slightly tart flavour that's decidedly gourmet.

Simply combine warm roast pumpkin, spinach, rocket, blanched green beans, toasted nuts (pine nuts and almonds are best) and crumbled feta, for a healthy and delicious winter salad.

You can comfortably pair red or white wines with this dish – the Yalumba The Virgilius Viognier will really accentuate the tart, sweetness of the verjuice roasted pumpkin, but if you're looking for something slightly bolder try our FDR1A Cabernet Sauvignon & Shiraz with its lovely blackberry and ripe plum richness.

As the weather gets cooler, the desire to pass by your local Indian takeaway on the way home gets stronger. But when there's mountains of fresh pumpkins in the garden waiting to be magically whizzed up in to something delicious, it would be a crime to ignore them.

Fortunately, dahl is not only one of the tastiest curries around, it's also nutritious and so quick and easy to make from scratch.

This Healthy Pumpkin and Spinach Dahl recipe from Australia's Healthy Food Guide is the ideal solution to winter takeaway food cravings and is really good for you too.

The spice and warmth of dahl pairs perfectly with the dark fruit and liquorish spices you'll find in our Tri Centenary Grenache.

Are you a vegan or vegetarian? Do you love dumplings? Then you'll love this traditional dish from Xinjiang, a region in the northwest of greater China that (rather unconventionally) makes dumplings with pumpkin.

This kawa mantisi (pumpkin dumplings) recipe from SBS utilises the subtle flavour of pumpkin, cumin and ginger making these little morsels the ideal winter warmer.

If you want to make these dumplings into a meal, once steamed place them into a simple wonton broth with garlic, ginger, vegetable stock, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and chopped Chinese greens.

Try pairing with a glass of our aromatic Eden Valley Roussanne for the perfect winter weeknight meal.

On rainy winter days it's not unlike we Barossans to turn to pastry – and if you love baking but are short on time (or skill) there's no better short-crust around than Carême.

A product of the Barossa's of own dynamic-duo husband and wife team, Will and Claire Wood, Carême pastry is a kitchen staple in the Barossa and is the cheats way of making the most elaborate savoury pastries and desserts at home.

We love this Roast Pumpkin and Caramelised Onion Tart , recipe from Carême, it's not only delicious, it's super easy to make and bake.

When it comes to flakey, buttery, delicious pastry and sweet roasted pumpkin it's best to pair it with a full bodied red wine that will cut the richness, like our Yalumba Steeple Vineyard Shiraz, that has beautiful plummy richness on the palate with a long, lingering finish.

Photo by Maddy Baker on Unsplash.